Of course. And you're still technically correct until sometime next year.

Then Harper and Machado will have signed new deals, and we'll get to see exactly what their level is. I think it's a pretty safe bet that whatever long-term deals those two get will blow all current contracts out of the water.

Contract dollars trend up over time so it's not really a fair comparison once they inevitably sign for more than what Cano got.

That's signed basically every other year BECAUSE they trend up over time.

When Cano signed with the Mariners it wasn't quite the largest contract in league history, but it was #4.

What?

A-Rod's contract (with the Rangers) was the biggest in baseball until it was surpassed by A-Rod again (with the Yankees) seven years later. In fact, I don't even think A-Rod's contract was surpassed until Miguel Cabrera signed his mega-deal in 2015.

A-Rod's contract (with the Rangers) was the biggest in baseball until it was surpassed by A-Rod again (with the Yankees) seven years later. In fact, I don't even think A-Rod's contract was surpassed until Miguel Cabrera signed his mega-deal in 2015.

You know what? You're right.... but does 35 million really make that much of a difference?

As is Cano is still 6th overall for largest contracts in professional sports (re: not just MLB) history.

Well, yeah, it does, only because we were originally talking about the notion of signing Bryce Harper, who will probably get, not ONE OF, but THE biggest contract in MLB history next year.

But than again...who knows? I don't think anyone really thought the Rangers were going to break the bank and give A-Rod $252M all the way back in 2001. Everyone figured that if someone was going to get the first $200M contract in MLB history (and the only one for many years after), it would have been from the Yankees or Dodgers.

Well, yeah, it does, only because we were originally talking about the notion of signing Bryce Harper, who will probably get, not ONE OF, but THE biggest contract in MLB history next year.

But than again...who knows? I don't think anyone really thought the Rangers were going to break the bank and give A-Rod $252M all the way back in 2001. Everyone figured that if someone was going to get the first $200M contract in MLB history (and the only one for many years after), it would have been from the Yankees or Dodgers.

But go back to my first response to you: I wasn't arguing how realistic the notion of us being able to sign Bryce Harper is. I was contesting your assertion that Robinson Cano isn't on their level based on the contract he signed versus the contract Harper is likely to sign.

One thing I hate about a lot of baseball fans/analysts/players is that anytime anyone tries something drastically different many of them will whine about "tradition" and how changing things is bad for the game.